Teens Chosen for Rose Youth Foundation

Twenty-three Jewish youth in grades 9 through 12 have been selected as members of Rose Youth Foundation, including 10 returning members. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Rose Youth Foundation is a grantmaking initiative of Rose Community Foundation. Launched in 2001, Rose Youth Foundation is the first Jewish youth foundation in the Rocky Mountain region.

The members of Rose Youth Foundation learn about philanthropy by becoming grantmakers, while bringing a youthful perspective on the issues facing Denver’s Jewish and wider communities to Rose Community Foundation. Rose Youth Foundation includes teens from 14 Denver-area schools and nine municipalities. They represent a broad spectrum of Judaism, describing themselves as Conservative, Modern Orthodox, Reconstructionist, Reform, Renewal and secular Jews.

From November 2010 through May 2011, the youth explore Jewish traditions of giving and concepts of strategic philanthropy, establish funding priorities, develop grant guidelines, conduct site visits, and decide how to grant $60,000 to help address issues they identify in the community.

I wanted to join RYF because I feel inspired and motivated to give back to the Jewish community,” says first-year member Max Frey, a sophomore at Cherry Creek High School. “I have been the beneficiary of Jewish education and outreach and feel privileged to be able to make a difference in other peoples’ lives.”

Regular meetings are planned for once or twice a month through April 2010. All funding priority and grant award decisions will be made by the youth. The members elected Elliot Mamet, a senior at East High School, to serve as their chair, and Jonathan Bentley, a senior at Colorado Academy, as their vice chair. Lisa Farber Miller and Sarah Indyk from Rose Community Foundation, along with Scott Esserman, a Cherry Creek High School teacher, will facilitate the group’s work.

A list of the 2010-2011 Rose Youth Foundation members and their schools is below. More information is available at rcfdenver.org/RYF or by calling Sarah Indyk at 303.398.7416.

The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Eric D. Fingerhut, currently the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Hillel International, as JFNA’s next president and CEO.